Blogs
This week I was invited by Ann Elliott to join her at the 19th Retailers' Retailer of the Year Awards dinner (not easy to say after the free flowing champagne!). The awards were held at the wonderful Guildhall, in the City of London and hosted by former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick. The pre-dinner drinks were in the crypt, followed by dinner and awards in the beautiful medieval great hall. The menu was delicious, with fantastic presentation and service throughout.
The awards identify and reward the best companies, concepts and individuals. The votes come from the leading industry operators, so for the winners to be recognised by their industry peer group is cause for celebration. The evening also supported the Tim Bacon Foundation, and the collection raised over £20,000. It was a brilliant evening, HGEM and I send a huge congratulations to all the winners.
- Sally
Flat Iron, winner of Emerging Concept- a fledgling multiple-site format that has been recognised as scalable with a great chance of success.
Franco Manca, winner of Best Concept- the best trading format in the sector, in terms of consumer proposition and execution
Albert Schloss, winner of Best Venue- Outstanding UK based venue, single outlet
New World Trading Co, winner of Best Use of Tech- Best example of tech to enhance business & engagement with consumers
Brasserie Blanc, winner of the Evolution award- for a format that has endured by recognising the importance of evolving, re-positioning, developing new routes to market and embracing technology.
Pret, winner of Best Company- Outstanding multi-site company operating in the eating and drinking out market, bringing together execution of offer with sales growth and people development.
TDR Capital, winner of Investor of the Year- a company that has successfully invested over the last 12 months, whether through acquisition or in the continued growth of its portfolio.
Turtle Bay, winner of Growth Company of the Year- this award was in association with MCA's annual list of the top 50 companies with fastest growing profits.
James & Thom Elliot from Pizza Pilgrims, winners of the Tim Bacon Rising Star Award- identifying individuals believed to make a significant contribution to the market for many years to come.
David Campbell from wagamama, winner of Retailers Retailer of the Year- chosen by the Retailers Academy as the outstanding individual operator, chosen by a 700-strong collective of senior people from bar and restaurant businesses and MCA's 2000-strong subscriber base.
Congratulations again to all the winners!
